Replies

1. 
   MikeSmith | Nov 13, 2008 02:32am | #1

   tim....

   we have used Alum-a-pole for at least 10 years... ever since a big  OSHA crack down and  fines all around  southern  RI... we were really grateful to have been coerced into making the move

   we started with (3) 24' poles and jacks....and we already had a 24' Stinson  aircraft  plank

   now we have about 8 jack /workbench set ups

   4....24' poles

   4....12' poles

   2....18' poles

   2..... 6' poles

   4 of the 6' extension  inserts

   2..... 24' safety nets

   we still have our 24' stinson...and  a light duty 24" x 24' alum pic

   we have 8 standoff brackets  and  two standoff brackets that we cut and welded to become  about 42" standoff brackets

   rounding this out we have Alum-a-pole  pics, which are very heavy duty and designed to link end-to-end    we have 3.....20" x 24'      and   2..... 14" x 24'

   we've bought both new and used... and you can get repair parts from alum-a-pole

   some of the older  AaP  equipment  has been improved over the years ... so the newer stuff works better than some of the original models

    

   we generally set up as soon as the walls are sheathed.... then we use the set-ups for  framing the roof, triming, windows, trim, siding , roofing, and painting

   we let and encourage our subs to use the equipment also

   Mike Hussein Smith Rhode Island : Design / Build / Repair / Restore
1. 
   Timuhler | Nov 13, 2008 02:43am | #2

   Thanks Mike.  I posted this at JLC also, and one of the siders was saying he doesn't like the way the brackets have to nail under shingles.  Any thoughts?

1. 
   atrident | Nov 13, 2008 02:48am | #3

    Well you could screw it to the facia or do like the knuckle heads I have seen,nail through the asphalt shingles and patch with caulk. You wont be disappointed with alumapole. Its fast and safe. How you fasten it is up to you.

2. 
   MikeSmith | Nov 13, 2008 02:57am | #5

   sometimes we fasten to the roof... sometimes to the siding/ fascia

   on new roofs we flip the tab and screw thru the  headlap... we usually put a piece of asphalt shingle under the flipped up tab to keep from tearing it on the bracket

    

   on older, brittle roofs we screw thru the top of the shingle

   install a piece of asphalt shingle as a wear pad... when we take it down we slip a piece of flashing under the shingle and caulk it in with roofing cementMike Hussein Smith Rhode Island : Design / Build / Repair / Restore

2. 
   MikeSmith | Nov 13, 2008 02:50am | #4

   tim.... our favorite fastener  for securing the arms is a hex head  3/8  x 2 1/2 screw   ... it's a cadmium screw we  used to use for installing  Kalwall  1 1/2"   solar covers

   i still buy them from Solar Components Corp in Manchester, NH.... they hold, penetrate, don't rust... stay sharp, the heads don't round over... they don't shear , bend, or snap...

    

   and we watch them like a hawk  so we don't lose them... we use them over and over.. some are still left over from 10 years ago

    

    

    Mike Hussein Smith Rhode Island : Design / Build / Repair / Restore

2. 
   toolbear | Nov 13, 2008 06:47am | #6

   We are thinking about buying Alum-a-pole and I was hoping to get all opinions and experience with it.

   @@@

   We love 'em. Compared to conventional scaffolding, they rock. We have some cutter bench fixtures optimized for their work bench area for running HardiePlank.

   Seen siders using them in the Wet. Roll out the tar paper, apply siding, pump up, roll out the tar paper, etc.

   Mike Smith has covered it well. In the NorthWet, make sure you have at least 12x12 of heavy ply under each foot. If the feet sink... issues. Perhaps more area is needed. We use 3/4 ply or heavier.

   (From the radar maps tonight, it looks wet in the Northwet. Drought down here. Going to be in the 80s at the job site tomorrow.)

   The ToolBear

   "You can't save the Earth unless you are willing to make other people sacrifice." Dogbert

3. 
   mmoogie | Nov 13, 2008 08:44am | #7

   Love the stuff. Wish I could afford some.

   I worked for a couple of guys, one that had Aluma-pole, one who had another brand that was cheaper. The cheaper stuff was bad...specifically said you could not use it when wet. Well now that's useful! But they were right, it slipped on the poles if you tried to adjust it when it was wet. Can't remember the name of the cheaper stuff off hand.

   Aluma-Pole is really fast, easy and safe, though.

   Steve

1. 
   cargin | Nov 14, 2008 02:46am | #15

   moogie

   We have the Qual-Craft brand available in this area.

   I was wondering if the cheaper version you were refering to was the Qual-Craft.

   I would really like to take the plunge to aluminum pump jacks. We use wood poles now and I would like to upgrade.

   Rich

1. 
   mmoogie | Nov 14, 2008 03:42am | #16

   Yes, that's the brand. They were troublesome in wet weather and not nearly as smoothly operating jacks. I personally would not buy them unless they have improved substantially from 5 years ago.Steve

4. 
   Hiker | Nov 13, 2008 08:37pm | #8

   I have got about $15K invested in Alumnapole.  Great product.  All of our jobsite have very limited space so they work out perfect.  I would recommend the 24' poles and 24' planks.  You get alot work out of that setup.

   Bruce

1. 
   MikeSmith | Nov 13, 2008 10:02pm | #9

   the highest we've staged so far is  double 24' poles  ( 48' ) on a 3 story gable end

   we find lots of use for our  6'. 12' & 18' poles too

   with the 6' extender coupling  we can get almost any combination we need

   24'....30'.....36'.....42'.....48'

   and those extended  standoff arms  get used on almost every jobMike Hussein Smith Rhode Island : Design / Build / Repair / Restore

1. 
   Hiker | Nov 13, 2008 10:13pm | #10

   Sounds like you have quite the set up.  They are incredibly flexible.

   The 24' poles work great for us because most of our project are on relatively level lots.  We can get right up to second story soffits and cover most gable ends without any issues. 

   I just love how solid they feel.  My dad had the old wooden pole pump jacks, so anything that does not dance like those feels like a granite platform.

   Bruce

2. 
   frammer52 | Nov 14, 2008 12:59am | #11

   You pretty well maxed ot the height on them at 48'?

1. 
   MikeSmith | Nov 14, 2008 01:13am | #12

   i don't know.... i'd have to go on line and see if they have a max ht  that they recommned

    

   could have something to do with the forces at the bottom of a 72'  aluminum  4x4

   i don't think  i'd want to bid a job that got that high Mike Hussein Smith Rhode Island : Design / Build / Repair / Restore

1. 
   Sphere | Nov 14, 2008 01:20am | #13

   Funny story about them poles. Someone mentioned the good footing boards. Dale and I were doing a slate roof in FEB and the mud backfill was horrid, we had 2x12 blocks under the alumapole feet, but at some time during a warm up, we noticed we were sinking pretty fast.

   We got down and tried to lift the pole, no way, it was 2' down, the roof brace was all that was holding us up ( in reality, we were on the roof, not the planks) well..we looked around and we had scaffold as well and the ele. hoist we used to load the slate up. So we cabled the pole and had the hoist on a spanned pipe on the scaffold.. hit the wind it up button and sucked the pole out, worked like a charm..LOL.

   We did have to tell Grant we lost the pole foot in the mud, he was cool, and didn't charge us.Spheramid Enterprises Architectural Woodworks

   Repairs, Remodeling, Restorations

    

   They kill Prophets, for Profits.

    

    

2. 
   MikeSmith | Nov 14, 2008 01:38am | #14

   yeah..  we backfilled a pole in about 4' of fill...  finally dug it out.. but we lost the foot alsoMike Hussein Smith Rhode Island : Design / Build / Repair / Restore

5. 
   JTC1 | Nov 14, 2008 04:16am | #17

   You have already gotten good feedback.

   I'll just second the thoughts.

   AlumaPole jacks are great and the extensions add to their flexibility.  Their net makes a great place to stash siding cut offs, etc.

   I will say that I have seen people spring for the poles, etc and then "anchor" the roof brackets with two, 1-1/4" roofing nails per leg bracket..............

   I think that kind of defeats what the engineers had in mind........

   Jim

   Never underestimate the value of a sharp pencil or good light.